THE SPACE PROGRAM AND THE PERSONAL COMPUTER
Before the space program, computers were far from personal. No one ever dreamed of owning one of his or her own. Computers were expensive and big. The space program helped changed all of that.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas spoke about the important link between the Apollo space program and the growth of the personal computer industry. She said, "Possibly the greatest NASA spinoff of all is the microprocessor. The personal computers we all use are the direct result of NASA's development of smaller computers needed for space travel.”^1 ______________ ^1“Space Program Deserves Lawmakers’ Support,”Daily News, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison Web site, October 4, 1999, http://hutchison.senate.gov/speech29.htm (accessed January 17, 2005).	Buzz Aldrin and the U.S. Flag on the Moon Photo courtesy of NASA
Early Computers Before the Apollo space program, most computers were big and bulky. They were nearly the size of a house! These early computers cost millions of dollars each. They weighed tons. These early computers also gobbled up electrical power. For example, the ENIAC (Electrical Numerical Integrator and Calculator) was an early computer. It took up 1,800 square feet and used 180,000 watts of electricity. You couldn’t pick one up and carry it to your science class, much less fly the 20-ton computer to the moon. The Apollo program needed tiny computers that could run the Apollo guidance system. This need led to the fledgling personal computer industry. New, lightweight computers were invented. The space program helped launch many earthbound journeys of invention.
The Birth of the PC
Inspired in part by the space program, computer scientists turned their dreams of small, lightweight, portable computers for everyone into a reality. Gordon Moore, Bob Noyce, and Andy Grove created the Intel Corporation. They became computer pioneers. One of their first microprocessors was called the 4004. By 1972, the 4004 helped guide the Pioneer spacecraft to Saturn. These computer processors cost only a fraction of the amount spent on the early Apollo computers. One of the first small, personal computers was the Altair. The Altair was sold as a hobby kit that the user had to put together. In 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen began writing software for the Altair. Their effort led to the company we know as Microsoft. In April 1976, another team of pioneers, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, thought they could create a better personal computer. They released the Apple I computer. The Apple I was the first mass-produced personal computer. They also started Apple Computer. Apple created their own operating system and manufactured some of the most innovative computers ever invented. Microsoft quickly gained a reputation for programming. In 1981 a major company, IBM (International Business Machines), came to tiny Microsoft looking for an operating system for its personal computer (PC). As a result, Microsoft was able to prove itself. Today, Microsoft's operating system, called Windows, runs millions of PCs around the world.